Retogar Improving the autonomy and care of dependent people with acquired brain injury is the scientific and technological challenge of the Retogar project led by researchers from the University of Alicante Institute for Computer Engineering Research (IUII), Miguel Cazorla and José García. These experts started in January and will be focusing on the project through 2019, with virtual reality applications and 3D interfaces, as well as sensors to monitor the movements of this type of patients. Design of an intelligent environment with alerts and geolocation sensors to detect risk scenarios inside and outside the home such as orientation errors, motor difficulties or reduced visibility due to hemiplegia, among other situations. On the other hand, the project focusses on the development of a social robot to improve the interaction with the patient in their physical and cognitive rehabilitation, and even to bring objects closer and to recognise their mood by their facial expressions.

Heart attack shown to be "systemic condition" - other organs also affected

An acute heart attack should not be viewed in isolation – myocardial infarction is a "systemic" condition with an impact upon the whole body and engenders responses in other organs, such as liver and spleen. That is the main finding of a study conducted by PhD student Matthias Zimmermann under the supervision of Hendrik Jan Ankersmit and Michael Mildner at the Division of Thoracic Surgery at the Departments of Surgery and Dermatology of MedUni Vienna. This study has now been published in the journal "Oncotarget". "We have demonstrated the need to rethink our tunnel vision that focuses solely on the heart in the event of a heart attack," says Zimmerman. "A myocardial infarction is not an isolated event – the rest of the body responds as well." Ankersmit adds: "For the first time we were able to scientifically describe the full picture of a myocardial infarction. This contributes enormously to our understanding in terms of systems biology."